Abstract

During the design process, sketching is most valued to augment a thought process. But sketching skills needed to generate, iterate, develop, and communicate ideas have rarely been taught. This study used a range of qualitative data sources and investigated the effects of structural changes to a foundational college-level sketching class for design majors intended to prepare students for rich exploration and deep design development through process sketches. Next to numerous sketching field trips and design sketch assignments that mimic typical design studio activities, we incorporated a feedback loop to 1) offer continuous clarifications, 2) raise students’ awareness of their skill progression, 3) learn about students’ perceptions of instructional strategies, and 4) enable students to inform course pace and finetune course contents. For the analysis, we relied on Panadero and Lipnevich’s feedback model as conceptual frame and found that students did not think of feedback modes as either formal or informal in nature but distinguished them by the levels of associated speech privacy, clearly preferring private modes. Sketching field trips and the associated travel sketches prompted mixed reactions. However, the design sketch assignments, developed to inform students’ design process, were enthusiastically embraced across students’ preparedness levels as useful and creative. After having implemented the new curriculum during four semesters, so far reaching 114 students in seven sections, design studio instructors observe improved knowledge of three-dimensional drawing concepts, experience less reluctance when they request sketches, and notice that their current students can better convey early ideas with sketches than previous peer groups.